It is ironic to note that many of the religious types currently arguing against the new anti-discrimination laws in the UK, banning discrimination on the grounds of sexuality in the provision of goods and services to the public, are the same groups who were so vocal in support of laws banning discrimination on the grounds of religion in the last couple of years. Today I heard a Christian on Radio 4 claiming that discrimination against homosexuals in the provision of adoption services or hotel provision was a matter of religious conscience. The debate about the partially state-funded Catholic adoption agencies is a classic “separate but equal” argument last used by the racists in the Southern US states during segregation.

I did worry for a while today that my own stance on this, that laws against discrimination on the grounds of religion are evil, but that laws banning discrimination against homosexuals must be applied without favour to homophobic religios, was hypocritical. However, I have realised that I am not against laws banning discrimination in the provision of goods and services on the grounds of religion – although in my opinion the vast majority of gays and lesbians would make better parents than the vast majority of devoutly religious Christians or Muslims. What I am against is the privileging of religion as a pattern of thought, from examination and verbal attack. This is entirely consistent with my view that Christian bigots should be allowed to say they believe that homosexuality is wrong, while I should be allowed to say that Christianity is a scourge of superstitious nonsense that should be ridiculed from the mind of the human race, along with all other superstitious nonsense. So long as I don’t start preaching “death to the believers” (the way far too many religios down the centuries and even today preach “death to the unbelievers”) I’m happy with my stance and defend their right to their sadly deluded one. This is provided, of course, that they don’t start demanding unequal treatment under the law (such as enshrining the rights of certain religious poobahs to sit in the upper chamber of the legislature).